Dental dam.



Nu. 663,!78. Patented Dec. 4, I900. N. KUNS.

DENTAL DAM.

(Application filed Oct. 1, I900.)

(No Model.)

vwzww TNE Noryms Permits: mmmurno UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

NATHANIEL KUNS, OF SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA.

DENTAL'DAM.

$PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,178, dated December 4, 1900.

Application fil d October 1,1900. Serial No, 31,712. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL KUNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Monica, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, haveinventeda new and useful Dental Dam, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are economy of the sheet-rubber commonly used for dental dams and to add to the convenience of the operator and the comfort of the patient. I accomplish these objects by providing a suitable holder to which the sheet-rubber may be attached and which can be placed in the mouth and will hold the margin of the rubber sheet while the sheet encircles the tooth. The holder extends to form a wall around the tooth and, together with the sheetrubber through which the tooth is passed, forms a receptacle inside the mouth for the tooth to prevent saliva or moisture from coming in contact with the tooth while the same is beingoperated upon.

Another purpose is to gently hold the cheek and tongue of the patient out of the way of the operator.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure I is a perspective view showing my newly-invented dental dam in position for treating a tooth. A fragment of the jaw with teeth is also shown. Fig. II is a perspective view of the dental dam ready for application to the tooth. Fig. III is an enlarged section of the dental dam applied to a tooth. Fig. IV is a perspective view of the three parts of my newly-invented dental dam detached from each other.

a indicates a ring-wall.

b indicates a rubber sheet extending over and across one end of the ring-wall to form the bottom of the receptacle which forms the dam.

0 indicates the fastening-hoop extending around the wall outside the rubber sheet to clamp the rubber sheet tightly upon the walls a. Preferably the ring-wall is furnished with a bead d around the open end opposite the end upon which the rubber sheet is applied. This bead prevents the hoop cfrom sliding too far upon the wall.

12 indicates the tooth-receiving perforation in the rubber sheet.

In practice the ring-wall and hoop will be of any suitable diameter and depth. A size which I find desirable is about one and onefourth inch in length by an inch and oneeighth in width, thus giving an elliptical form to the wall; but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular size or dimensions, this being wholly within the discretion of the manufacturer and user.

In practical use the operator will first apply to the unbeaded end Z of the Wall a a suitable rubber-dam sheet, completely covering the end of the wall and allowing sufficient margin to fold over upon the outside of the wall. Then the fastening-hoop c is placed .upon the rubber sheet and forced down to encircle the wall and clamp the margins of the rubber sheet between the wall and the hoop. Then the operator will cut off any unnecessary protruding portions of the rubber sheet, thus avoiding the introduction into the mouth of the patient of any large sheet to coine into contact with the walls of the mouth around the wall of the dam. The operator will then punch the perforation Z) in the center of the sheet inclosed by the wall, and the .dam is then ready for application to the tooth of the patient. The usual rubber-dam clamp 6 will then be inserted through the perforation in the ordinary way, and the dam and clamp will all be placed over the tooth and the rubber sheet worked into place around the tooth in the manner usual in applying rubber dams. It will then be found that the tooth is inclosed in a water-tight receptacle and that the rubber sheet is held out of the Way of the operator and the tooth is inclosed inareceptacle, the wall of which gently holds the cheek and tongue out of the way of the operator without any inconvenience or discomfort to the patient.

To remove the" dam, the clamp is first removed in the ordinary way and then the dam is withdrawn.

It will be found in practical operation that a rubber sheet which is ordinarily required to form a single dental dam will by the use of my appliance afford sufficient material for ten or twelve dental dams.

The rubber sheet forms a resilient support for the wall and hoop of the dam, thus allowing a limited movement of the tongue and check of the patient without irritation or disnished at one end with a. notch a to allow the ringwall at one end thereof to fit down upon the tooth, so that the top of the wall will be;v as near to the top of the tooth as possible,

thus to be out of the way of the operator.

This notch can be taken advantage of when the dam is applied to the upper jaw or ap-- plied in anysituation Where the saliva is not liable to flow over the top of the wall, where it is thus brought low. The fastening-ring c is furnished with a projection c to register with the notch 01, when it is desired to hold the wall of the dam at full height above the teeth. In Fig. III the dam is shown applied with the notch a, covered by the projection c.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Adental dam comprising a ring-wall; a rubber sheet stretched over one end of said Wall; and means for fastening the sheet on said wall.

2. A dental dam comprising a ring-wall; a rubber sheet over the end of said Wall; and a fastening-hoop surrounding the sheet and Wall and clamping the sheet on the wall.

3. A dental dam comprising a ring-wall furnished at one end with a head; a sheet A. A dental dam comprising a ring-wall furnished at one end with a notch; a rubber sheet stretched over the notched end of said wall; and means for fastening the sheet on said wall.

5. A dental dam comprising a ring-Wall furnished atone end with a notch; a rubber sheet stretched over the notched end of said wall; and a fastening-hoop surrounding the sheet and Wall and clamping the sheet on the wall.

6. A dental dam comprising a ring-wall furnished at one end with a notch; and a fastening-hoop for fastening a rubber sheet over the end of said wall and furnished with a projection to register with said notch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, California, this 25th day of September, 1900.

NATHANIEL KUN S.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. TOWNSEND, JULIA TOWNSEND. 

